senator demint might have been laughing but i know a threat when i hear one and so does john boehner and the so-called tea party stripping for lawmakers of their committee assignments. now he's facing a new threat from the tea party. today demint also said that democrats weren't the problem. the problem was actually with republicans and control of our message and our ideas senator demint and now that's a scary thought. joining me now is former congressman, a democrat from virginia and joe madison and nationally syndicated host thank you both for being here tonight. >> thank you. >> congressman, let me start with you. senator demint starts about firing speaker boehner on rush limbaugh show. where is this war going? >> well, you do see a real split on the republican side right now between the establishment figures. let's be clear, the power still sits with the tea party more than with the establishment. you've seen this in the picking of the next gubernatorial candidate. and so it's a small number of people who are trying to move away from that ideology and you also see the institution